


Myosotis

by massuneko



Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe, Heteronormativity, M/M, Temporary Amnesia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 16:49:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13058121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/massuneko/pseuds/massuneko
Summary: An accident made Wonshik forgot completely about Taekwoon. But even in such blank slate, he chose Taekwoon still.





	Myosotis

Waking up, the first thing Wonshik felt was the throbbing pain on his head. Had he been drinking? He couldn’t remember. All he knew was that he felt like being hit by a truck, or a bus, or just anything that made his whole body aches, especially his head.

Slowly, he cracked his eyes open and assessed the situation around him. From what he could see, he could conclude that he’s currently at a hospital room. He vaguely thought that it explained the pain. He probably really got hit by a truck. Slowly, he tried to sit up. It wasn’t as painful as he thought, although his head was still pounding painfully.

Then, the room’s door was opened, and a dark-haired man entered. He looked surprised and relieved to see Wonshik, dropping the bouquet he had and rushed to hold him close. Wonshik was surprised by the gesture, so much that he couldn’t do anything but froze.

“You’re finally awake… Thank heavens…” mumbled the stranger. Wonshik was really confused, and he felt really awkward with the situation.

When the man finally released him, Wonshik gave a sheepish grin and asked, “I’m really sorry, but… Who are you?”

The man looked surprised, then he blinked several times as if quickly thinking what kind of answer he should provide. “I, um… I’m the one who found you… collapsed on the street… called the ambulance…” he mumbled softly. “Uh, sorry for that hug, I… I guess I’m just glad that the person I found on the street isn’t dead…”

Wonshik couldn’t help but thought that the man was really cute. He grinned widely and gave him thumbs up, “Don’t worry, my body is really tough. Sorry if I made you worry, uh… What’s your name?”

There was a flash of hurt in that man’s eyes, but it disappeared quickly and Wonshik thought that he might be imagining it.

“Taekwoon. My name is Jung Taekwoon,” said the man softly. Wonshik smiled again at him.

“Thank you for saving me, Jung Taekwoon- _ssi_. If you have some time after I’m discharged from the hospital, please have a visit to our cafe, _Blue Blossom_. Let me treat you some of our signature cake and coffee,” said Wonshik with a wide grin. Taekwoon nodded slowly.

“I will… I will take my leave now. You should rest too,” said Taekwoon. Wonshik cringed a little since his head really was still pounding, so he slid down to his bed with an apologetic look.

“Okay, then. Again, thank you. See you next time,” said Wonshik. Taekwoon nodded again, and turned to leave the room.

As the door was closed, Wonshik pressed his eyes shut and tried to sleep again. He hoped that the next time he woke up, the pain would be gone.

* * *

 Taekwoon slid down to the floor beside the room’s door. He didn’t know what exactly happened, but it seemed that Wonshik had forgotten about him. Somehow he still remembered about the cafe, so it didn’t seem to be a complete memory loss.

He chuckled at himself. As selfish as it was, the universe seemed to grant his wish. What he didn’t know was that it would feel so painful when it happened.

Sighing, he pushed himself to his feet. If Wonshik really forgot about him, he didn’t want it to be half-done. Just as he thought that he’d discuss about it with the doctor who was in charge, Jaehwan came.

“ _Hyung_! How was Wonshik?” asked Jaehwan. Taekwoon didn’t answer immediately, and he looked really down, so Jaehwan had all sorts of negative scenario flying in his head. “Wait, he’s not—”

“Wonshik is fine, generally speaking,” said Taekwoon. Jaehwan frowned at his words.

“Huh, ‘generally speaking’? So, specifically, is he fine?” asked Jaehwan. Taekwoon looked at him with glistened eyes and he gave out a long sigh.

“He forgets about me,” said Taekwoon briefly. Jaehwan’s expression dropped, and he instantly felt pitiful towards Taekwoon. He didn’t know much, but being Wonshik’s coworker at the cafe, he knew that there was something between Taekwoon and Wonshik that went beyond casual friendship.

“ _Hyung_ , that’s… Have you talked to the doctor?” asked Jaehwan. Taekwoon shook his head.

“Not yet. But I’ll talk to him now,” said Taekwoon.

“I’ll go with you, then. I can visit Wonshik anytime later,” said Jaehwan. Taekwoon smiled at him, a little bit tired, but he really appreciated Jaehwan’s company. He nodded slowly, and the two of them walked to the doctor’s office.

While waiting for the elevator, Taekwoon said, “He remembers the name of your cafe, so I guess he hasn’t forgotten about you.”

Jaehwan frowned, not exactly liking the fact Taekwoon had just stated, but he said nothing just yet. When they got into the elevator, Taekwoon said, “If Wonshik really has forgotten everything about me… Jaehwan, I want you not to remind him. I want… I want him to start anew. I want us to start anew.”

“Are you really okay with that?” asked Jaehwan. Taekwoon bit his lower lip, knowing that he would have never been ready to leave Wonshik. But he had made up his mind, and he didn’t want to see Wonshik suffering more than he already had.

“I will be okay,” said Taekwoon. Jaehwan sighed, having nothing more to say.

“As you wish, then,” he said.

* * *

 After some observation and tests, Wonshik was finally discharged from the hospital. He got the permission to get back to work immediately, and he was really thankful for that. Being away too long from his baking equipments made him felt restless. He loved his job too much after all.

He had just finished arranging the cake display when the cafe’s door was swung opened. Out of habit, he raised his gaze, and saw a familiar dark-haired man entering. Wonshik quickly pulled his best smile for the man.

“Welcome, Taekwoon- _ssi_! You really come!” greeted Wonshik cheerfully. Taekwoon only nodded awkwardly in return, just like the last time. Still, it wasn’t enough to dampen Wonshik’s mood just yet.

“Anyway, as I said before, I’ll treat you cakes and coffee. Is there anything you like here? I can also make something else if you want,” said Wonshik again as he gestured to the glass display. Taekwoon took a quick glance and shrugged.

“I’m fine with anything,” he said lightly. That made Wonshik’s smile falter a little, since it meant that he had to guess just what kind of cake Taekwoon liked.

“Well, have a seat! I’ll have some cakes served right away,” said Wonshik cheerfully as he gestured to the empty seats at the cafe.

Taekwoon took a seat by the window. Wonshik had already half expecting that Taekwoon would have just whatever for his coffee, but apparently he ordered a latte. So from there, Wonshik picked some of the cakes from his display, carefully arranging them on the plate and took another step to garnish them as well.

“Jaehwan- _hyung_ , are you going to decorate his latte?” asked Wonshik as he concentrated on his own job.

“I’m about to do it, why? Do you have an idea or something?” asked Jaehwan back.

“Can you make that cat-shaped foam thing? I mean, I think it suits him,” replied Wonshik offhandedly. Jaehwan stopped for a second to frown at Wonshik, before concentrating back to his latte.

“You’re weird, you know? But yeah, I can do the cat thing. Just remember to pay it at the cashier along with the cakes, okay?” said Jaehwan. Wonshik chuckled and nodded.

“Aye, Sir!” replied Wonshik cheerfully. He’s finished with his cakes too, so he brought the plate to a tray and waited until Jaehwan finished decorating his latte. Jaehwan put the finished latte carefully on the tray, and he was about to call the waitress to serve it, but Wonshik took the tray instead.

“It’s my treat, so I’m going to deliver it,” said Wonshik. Then he added with a wink, “Wish me luck, _Hyung_.”

Jaehwan only shook his head in disbelief as he watched Wonshik brought the tray with careful steps.

“Thank you for waiting,” said Wonshik with a bright smile as he placed the plate of his cakes selection and the latte. He watched as Taekwoon looked at them with wide eyes, seeming to be surprised with what Wonshik had to offer.

“I was confused about which cake I should give you, but thankfully you ordered latte so I have some hints. Here I have a fresh cream cake with berries, banana bread, and caramel flan pudding. They’re all sweet, but not too sweet, so you can still enjoy your coffee without having it tastes too bitter after eating the cakes,” explained Wonshik. Taekwoon only nodded at the explanation, and his eyes were fixed at the cat on his latte. It didn’t miss Wonshik’s observing eyes.

“Oh, I asked Jaehwan, our barista, to make that for you. You seems like a cat person. Do you like it?” asked Wonshik, still with the same level of excitement. Taekwoon smiled a little although there was a hint of sadness there.

“It’s cute,” he finally commented. Wonshik beamed even brighter at that.

“Okay, enjoy your cakes and coffee! If you need a refill, don’t hesitate to ask! It’s all on me,” said Wonshik before he bowed and went back to the kitchen. Once he returned to his station, he was preoccupied until he couldn’t observe Taekwoon’s reaction.

When Wonshik returned to the cafe area for some break, Taekwoon was already gone.

* * *

After that one time, Taekwoon was never seen in the cafe anymore. At first Wonshik was sure that he would come back again for more cakes, but it didn’t happen. He couldn’t help but wonder if his selection at that time was wrong, that he didn’t like what he made, or that he’s probably annoyed with all the talk Wonshik did that time. He wanted to slam his head against the wall in frustration, but he’s certainly not looking forward to another stay at the hospital.

He made sure that he had locked up the cafe’s kitchen, before he slowly walked towards the station. It was a little cold, though, and he hadn’t had a proper dinner just yet, so he made a turn into a convenience store to get some kimbap and hot tea to fill his stomach until he managed to reach his apartment. When he got to the chilled food aisle, though, he saw a familiar dark-haired man.

“Taekwoon- _ssi_! What a coincidence!” greeted Wonshik. Taekwoon seemed to jolt a little, before he returned Wonshik’s greeting with a slight bow.

“Good evening,” he greeted quietly.

“Going for some groceries?” asked Wonshik as he peeked inside the basket Taekwoon held. But when he saw the content, his stomach dropped. There were various ready-made cakes and puddings inside, and it once again made Wonshik questioned whether his cakes were really that bad or not.

“Taekwoon- _ssi_ … Did the cakes from our shop not suit your taste?” asked Wonshik, a little discouraged. Taekwoon looked flustered at the question, and Wonshik felt worse as the silence grew.

“No, they’re… I really love them. You know my taste very well,” replied Taekwoon truthfully. The answer made Wonshik confidence soared through the roof.

“Then, Taekwoon- _ssi_ , rather than having those, how if I make you some cakes now? The cafe is nearby, and I have the key to the kitchen,” offered Wonshik immediately. Taekwoon seemed to hesitate, and Wonshik quickly added, “I insist.”

Facing such eagerness, Taekwoon couldn’t help but agree to the offer. “Okay,” he said shortly. He then returned the cakes and puddings to their respective places, putting back the shopping basket, and followed Wonshik to the cafe.

There was a simple table set in the kitchen where Wonshik took his lunches at. He asked Taekwoon to wait there as he made a quick espresso brownies and some latte. Although he’s not as skilled as Jaehwan, he knew that at the very least his coffee-making skill was decent. He brought the coffee for them to drink while waiting for the brownies to be done baking.

“How’s your injuries?” asked Taekwoon, trying to start a conversation since sitting still made him felt uncomfortable. Wonshik smiled brightly at him.

“I’ve fully recovered! My tough body is one of the things I can boast about,” replied Wonshik as he patted his chest. Taekwoon smiled a little, seemingly relieved, but still with a hint of sadness.

But before Wonshik could ask about it, his timer rang, and he quickly rushed to the oven to take out the cake. He carefully peeled off the baking paper, although he was less careful to cut the brownies and plated them to two plates. He put away the leftover to the cooling rack, then opened the fridge to take out his signature vanilla ice cream. He put a generous scoop on top of each sizzling hot brownies, then brought those to the table.

“This is not available on the menu yet, but it’s my favorite. Please enjoy,” said Wonshik. Taekwoon seemed to brighten up when he smelled the coffee from the brownies, and he tried a bite of it along with the ice cream.

“I guess being able to eat a freshly baked brownies like this is a special privilege,” commented Taekwoon. He seemed to enjoy the cake and the ice cream, so Wonshik was beyond happy.

“I can give you freshly baked goods like this every day if you want,” teased Wonshik. He admitted that he wanted to flirt a little with this beauty before him, but he didn’t expect that Taekwoon’s expression would turn gloomy instead.

“You’ve treated me enough. Next time, I’ll properly buy some cakes from your cafe,” said Taekwoon, casual but also somewhat commanding. Wonshik didn’t try to push his luck and simply nodded, digging into his own cake as well.

It took some convincing for Taekwoon to accept the leftover Wonshik gave him, but eventually he gave up and took the box with him. Wonshik walked him until the main road, before he went back to the kitchen to clean up and locking it back.

Heading towards the station again, he couldn’t help but thought about Taekwoon’s sad smile that always seemed to linger.

* * *

 The last design for the winter collection was finally done, and Taekwoon immediately collapsed to his work desk. He felt really drained, and he really needed some caffeine and sugar in his system. Before, he could always count on Wonshik to arrive on his door just in time, with his specialty cakes and Jaehwan’s signature latte. But he had decided to let go of that life, the beautiful promise that could never be fulfilled.

He had broken his own resolve by visiting the cafe, not just once but twice. The way Wonshik smiled so sweetly at him despite not remembering anything that happened between them, it made Taekwoon weak. He wanted to rush back into Wonshik’s embrace, telling him about things he forgot, and kept Wonshik by his side again. Still, he couldn’t forget the thing that led them to that kind of situation, and he thought that it’s best for Wonshik to remain like that.

There really wasn’t anything wrong with their relationship at first. Wonshik was caring and Taekwoon was understanding. They had their own career but at the end of the day, they’d return to each other’s side, relaxing and enjoying the presence of the other.

When suddenly Wonshik gave Taekwoon a diamond bracelet that was paired with his own, Taekwoon couldn’t hold back his overflowing emotion. He cried in joy, holding Wonshik tightly and thanked him, whispering to him just how much he loved him. And Wonshik held him back, whispering love words and other sweet things. At that time, they were happy and content, and everything felt so perfect.

But a few weeks afterwards, things became complicated. On that particular day, there was a visit to Wonshik and Jaehwan’s cafe from a local elementary school. Wonshik taught those kids to decorate a small cake, along with their teachers. Taekwoon happened to be there as well, because it was his day off, and because Wonshik invited him since he knew that Taekwoon loved kids.

At some point, Taekwoon was dragged along to decorate a cake as well with some kids. It was fun and refreshing, until one of the kids raised her hand and asked, “Kim _Seonsaeng-nim_! Are you going to marry our Baek _Seonsaeng-nim_?”

It was an innocent question from a child, but it made both Wonshik and the female teacher in question blushed. “No, Kim _Seonsaeng-nim_ already promised to marry someone else, and breaking a promise is not good,” replied Wonshik diplomatically. The kid seemed to understand, and the topic was brushed off casually.

Still, it lingered on Taekwoon. He saw how well Wonshik was treating and teaching the kids, using simple words and gestures for them to understand. And he was kind to the teachers too, who were mostly females, and Taekwoon couldn’t miss the way those teachers looked at Wonshik as if they were wishing that he were their husband or boyfriend.

What made it felt even worse was, after sending off those teachers and kids, Wonshik said with a bright smile on his face, “It seems nice to have a kid or two.”

For the rest of the day, Taekwoon was silent. He was seriously thinking that Wonshik would definitely be a good father. But if he were to be married with Taekwoon, he wouldn’t be able to have a kid of his own. Taekwoon didn’t want to take away the image of a perfect family from Wonshik.

Taekwoon distanced himself from Wonshik afterwards, using his job as an excuse not to meet the patissier. He felt lost, not knowing what to do, but he was sure that he wanted Wonshik to be happy. He thought that over time, Wonshik would probably ask his bracelet back, along with his heart, and finally moved on to someone who could give him the perfect family he deserved.

Still, Taekwoon couldn’t avoid Wonshik forever. It was late at night, and Wonshik was waiting for Taekwoon outside his office. They argued a little—Wonshik asking why Taekwoon had been avoiding him lately while Taekwoon denied it all and claimed that he’s tired and wanted to sleep. Wonshik stubbornly followed Taekwoon, demanding explanation, until finally Taekwoon snapped.

“Just shut up and leave me alone!” shouted Taekwoon as he shoved Wonshik’s shoulder. He didn’t realize just how much force he applied, and how Wonshik was standing at the very edge of the stairs. He lost his balance, falling back and hit the round of stairs as he rolled down to the sidewalk below. Taekwoon called the ambulance immediately, praying hard that Wonshik would be safe.

But who would expect that Wonshik would get such head trauma that caused him to forget Taekwoon completely? It was his chance, he thought. After talking to Jaehwan not to say a word about him to Wonshik, he went to retrieve Wonshik’s diamond bracelet. He also took his phone, erasing all traces of their relationship before returning it.

“Please be happy without me,” whispered Taekwoon softly before he left the hospital room, tightening his resolve to walk out of Wonshik’s life.

The last part was definitely the hardest. He planned for his first visit after Wonshik was discharged to be his last as well, but he didn’t expect that they’d coincidentally meet again, and that Wonshik would bring him to the cafe again.

Sighing heavily, he thought that he really needed to replenish his sugar and caffeine after all. He reluctantly grabbed his wallet, phone, and key, before going to the nearest convenience store. The fatigue really hit him hard, to the point that he barely noticed the people around him, and accidentally bumped to one. He lost his balance, but before he fell to the ground, the person he bumped to quickly pulled him to stand again.

“Taekwoon- _ssi_?”

The familiar deep voice made Taekwoon froze in place. He raised his gaze and met with Wonshik’s concerned expression. Taekwoon nudged him away softly, gesturing that he could stand on his own.

“What are you doing here at this hour?” asked Taekwoon.

“Well, what are _you_ doing here at this hour?” asked Wonshik back. Taekwoon rolled his eyes, too tired for making any arguments.

“I live close by,” said Taekwoon, not giving any further explanation.

“And I work close by,” said Wonshik teasingly. Taekwoon only snorted at his words.

“Do you want to grab some food from the convenience store? I’ll treat you this once,” offered Taekwoon. He didn’t know what drove him to say something like that, but it’s already been said.

“Actually, I’ve just finished my grocery shopping. So if you’re not too hungry, I can drop by your house and cook something for you,” said Wonshik as he showed the plastic bags in his hand.

It was a bad idea to bring Wonshik to his apartment, but Taekwoon was pretty much an expert in making bad decision. He was tired and hungry and he missed Wonshik so much. So he agreed to the offer, walking side by side while Wonshik talked about his day. It almost felt like the accident never happened, and they were just having their usual after work chit-chat. But the way Wonshik used formal language and waited for him to open his apartment door reminded Taekwoon that the whole incident really did happen.

“Sorry, it’s a bit messy,” said Taekwoon as he let Wonshik in. He saw how Wonshik seemed to be awed by his apartment, exactly the same way he did when he first came there, and Taekwoon could feel a pang in his heart.

“You can hang your jacket there, or just put it on the couch. Make yourself at home,” said Taekwoon as he pulled off his own jacket and hang it near the entrance. He then took the groceries from Wonshik so that Wonshik could hang his own jacket as well.

They cooked a simple meat and vegetables stir-fry, and made minimal conversation since they’re too busy shoveling food into their mouths. Still, for some reasons, Wonshik also didn’t talk much after dinner, only quietly offered to wash the dishes since Taekwoon already let him borrow the kitchen. Taekwoon let him to, while he went to his own room to prepare a change of clothes and folded mattress in case Wonshik wanted to spend a night.

“It’s already this late, do you want to spend a night here?” offered Taekwoon after Wonshik was done with the dishes. Wonshik smiled and shook his head quickly.

“I’ve bothered you enough, so I’ll just go home now. Have some rest, Taekwoon- _ssi_ ,” said Wonshik. Taekwoon was a little disappointed, but then again, he thought that it’s probably the best for both of them.

“Do you want me to walk you to the station?” offered Taekwoon. But once again, Wonshik rejected it. He simply took the rest of his stuffs and his jacket, then bid a final goodbye to Taekwoon before walking away in hurry.

As Taekwoon closed the door, he felt loneliness chewing up his insides, so much that it hurt.

* * *

 It had been a week since Wonshik’s accidental meeting with Taekwoon, but Wonshik was still mulling over it. Sure, he was delighted to ran onto Taekwoon that night, and even more when Taekwoon invited him over to his place. But his mood was dampened the moment he noticed the bracelet on Taekwoon’s wrist after he hung his jacket.

Wonshik had seen that bracelet in a brochure he found when he was cleaning out his apartment. It was a couple bracelet, which meant that Taekwoon was already dating someone. He knew that he shouldn’t be surprised, since Taekwoon really was attractive and all, but he just felt devastated anyway. Then again, even if Taekwoon wasn’t dating anyone, Wonshik wasn’t sure if he would date someone like himself.

The thought made Wonshik snorted. He had long accepted the fact that he could be attracted to both men and women, but sometimes he forgot that not all people were like him. Most people, as far as he knew, were attracted to the opposite gender. The matter of whether Taekwoon liked women, men, or both, was definitely not his business as well. He’s still thankful that he didn’t run onto Taekwoon again afterwards, since his heart and mind were still messed up because of the discovery.

At the very least, the cafe had been busy too, so Wonshik could distract himself with work. There was a large order for some fashion event, and Wonshik poured every ounce of his concentration into making the perfect cakes for it.

As the patissier responsible for the sweets, Wonshik received an invitation to the event. He was glad that he still kept a nice set of formal suits to be worn for such event. He supervised the arrangement for the cakes, giving some final touches, before joining the other guests to listen at some greetings from the organizer. And when the guests were welcomed to enjoy the dishes that had been prepared, Wonshik watched closely for the reactions he got over his creation.

What he certainly didn’t expect was, Taekwoon happened to be one of guests, and Wonshik could feel the awkwardness when their eyes met.

“What a coincidence, Taekwoon- _ssi_ ,” greeted Wonshik with a slightly forced smile. Taekwoon nodded in reply, seeming to be just as awkward as Wonshik was.

“The cakes… The one making them is you, right?” asked Taekwoon. Hearing about his creation, Wonshik’s awkwardness faded away instantly. He nodded firmly, with a proud smile on his lips.

“Yeah, I was requested to make them. How do you think? Is it good?” replied Wonshik enthusiastically. Taekwoon smiled and nodded.

“They’re really nice, as expected from you. And I guess it explains why you’re here,” said Taekwoon.

“I still don’t know why you’re here, though,” teased Wonshik. Taekwoon seemed bashful hearing that, looking at his shoes as he tried to arrange his words, before looking back at Wonshik.

“Actually… I’m one of the designers for this brand’s winter collection. I design clothes for a living,” explained Taekwoon. Wonshik gaped at his words, utterly shocked upon the revelation. And as if on cue, the MC of the event announced about the winter collection, and they automatically looked to the stage.

“The first five are my designs,” whispered Taekwoon to Wonshik, without turning his sight away. Wonshik, too, kept his eyes glued to the stage. Although Wonshik didn’t really understand about fashion, he wanted to appreciate Taekwoon’s work. And when the models Taekwoon mentioned appeared, Wonshik knew that it wasn’t hard to feel even more amazed at Taekwoon.

“So? How do you think?” asked Taekwoon curiously.

“Those are amazing,” replied Wonshik with a wide smile, “Definitely something I’ll buy for my girlfriend if I have one.”

Something in Wonshik’s words seemed to hit a sensitive spot on Taekwoon, because he could see the smile fading almost instantly. But before Wonshik could apologize, Taekwoon was already smiling again, although it didn’t reach his eyes at all, and said, “Thank you. I really appreciate that.”

They kept on watching the show until it was over. The audiences clapped, and they returned to enjoying the dishes and drinks as some singers went on stage to entertain them with music. Wonshik was still thinking about what could possibly be wrong with his words, but then his eyes caught some staffs coming out to display the clothes at a designated area near the main stage. Among others, he noticed the long coat that was worn by the third model.

“Actually, the coat on your third design, I think it’ll suit you more than it suits the model,” commented Wonshik offhandedly. Taekwoon stared at him with unconcealed surprise, and Wonshik quickly felt embarrassed for what he had just said.

“Sorry, nevermind, I just—”

“Do you really think that it’ll suit me?” asked Taekwoon before Wonshik could revise anything he said. Against any better judgement, Wonshik nodded. To his surprise, Taekwoon went to the display area and asked the staff for that specific coat. He then draped it on his shoulders and looked expectantly to Wonshik, “How do I look?”

Wonshik thought that he couldn’t possibly fall even more for Taekwoon, but apparently he could.

“Beautiful,” breathed Wonshik without even thinking. Taekwoon was smiling and blushing at the compliment, then pulled out his phone and gave it to Wonshik.

“Help me take a picture? For future reference,” asked Taekwoon. Wonshik nodded, taking the phone and aimed the camera at Taekwoon. Taekwoon quickly posed, placing his left hand at the right collar of the coat. As Wonshik gave the countdown for the shutter, his eyes caught something glittering under Taekwoon’s sleeve.

The diamond bracelet.

Wonshik felt that all bubbles of happiness he felt before had all popped away instantly. Taekwoon probably took that picture to show it to his lover. After Wonshik told him that he’s done taking the picture, Taekwoon called a staff to return the coat, then took his phone back from Wonshik.

“You’re right, it does look good on me,” said Taekwoon as he looked at the picture, unaware of the mood change in Wonshik.

“I’m sure your lover will agree too,” quipped Wonshik. Taekwoon froze when he heard it, looking at Wonshik with wide eyes. Wonshik immediately regretted what he said, and quickly apologized, “Sorry, I just… I saw your bracelet, and I thought it’s a couple bracelet? I shouldn’t assume, I know. My fault. I’m sorry.”

Taekwoon smiled, fond but sad, as he pulled his sleeve a little to caress the diamond bracelet delicately. The gesture made Wonshik felt like his heart was stabbed with icicle, freezing his blood all over.

“Well… You’re right about this being a couple bracelet. But I don’t have a lover. We… sort of broke up, long time ago,” said Taekwoon. Wonshik thought that it explained the constant sadness he saw in Taekwoon every time he saw him. Still, it didn’t explain why he still had that bracelet. If they broke up, Taekwoon should’ve thrown out that bracelet, right? Unless—

“Are you still in love with this person?” The question left Wonshik’s lips before he could think further about it.

Taekwoon’s answer was brief and firm, a piercing bullet that hit the target perfectly, “Yes.”

Wonshik felt like the air was punched out from his lungs completely. Silence hung between them, but not for long since Taekwoon was called to give a speech on stage. Taekwoon excused himself, leaving Wonshik alone. After Wonshik felt that he could breathe normally again, he quickly left that place.

He wasn’t a newbie when it came to heartbreak, but he felt that this one hurt him more than he expected. He tried to rationalize with himself, arguing that he didn’t know Taekwoon for a long time anyway, so he shouldn’t feel so hurt about it. But the tears that couldn’t stop flowing as soon as he’s in the safety of his own apartment said otherwise. His heart didn’t care that he knew so little about the beautiful designer. He had fallen too deep, too hard, and the pain was almost unbearable.

* * *

 Despite all the crying and weeping from that night, Wonshik still managed to go back to work normally. Again, he was using his job as distraction, and he was more than glad that Taekwoon didn’t show up at the cafe anymore. Their conversation from that night probably made Taekwoon assumed that Wonshik was pursuing him romantically. Wonshik couldn’t and wouldn’t deny it at all. But the fact that Taekwoon didn’t show up at all either let Wonshik knew that Taekwoon didn’t feel the same about him.

It was frustrating, but Wonshik thought that it’s probably the best for them both. If Taekwoon still loved his ex-lover, then Wonshik’s advances would probably only made Taekwoon hurt even more.

While Wonshik was too busy lamenting over his heartbreak, Jaehwan reminded him of a mini workshop their cafe held in the weekend. It was a cake decorating workshop, and judging from the reservation list, it’s going to be packed with teenage girls and young mothers. Jaehwan jokingly told Wonshik not to end up with a harem afterwards, which Wonshik responded with a kick to Jaehwan’s butt.

Saturday rolled in a little too quick for Wonshik’s liking, but he’s a professional and he faced it like one. He went to the cafe early in the morning to prepare for the workshop. The plain fresh cream cake were ready to be decorated, and he made one last check to make sure that the ingredients for decoration were enough. Jaehwan and other employees started coming when he’s done with the preparation, and he listened to Jaehwan’s morning assembly speech.

Jaehwan helped him to prepare for the workshop. There would only be 10 participants, since more than that would be too much for Wonshik to handle. As the participants started to come, Wonshik could feel the nervousness kicking in. He still put his best smile, though, welcoming everyone who came. There were already two young mothers bringing their children along, and Wonshik made a mental note to prepare something for the kids later on.

When the third kid that was brought along by her mother came, she quickly pointed at Wonshik with a cheerful tone, “Kim _Seonsaeng-nim_! Hello!”

Wonshik was surprised that the kid recognized him, since he’s sure it’s the first time they met. But still, he gave her a bright smile and replied, “Hello! Ready to decorate some cake?” The little girl nodded enthusiastically and Wonshik patted her head while muttering _‘cute’_.

The brief encounter was quickly forgotten as the other participants came in, and it’s pushed even further when the workshop began. Wonshik was concentrating on giving easy explanation about using the standard pipes, color mixing for the cream, and simple composition. He let the participants to freely decorate their cakes, giving a hand or advice when asked, while making sure that everything was under control.

“Kim _Seonsaeng-nim_ , why isn’t your friend here?” asked the little girl from earlier. Wonshik crouched down to level his height with her and smiled.

“Which one? Kim _Seonsaeng-nim_ has a lot of friends,” replied Wonshik with a smile.

“The one with a dot under his eye,” said the girl as she pointed under her left eye. “He’s really pretty, like the sparkly bracelet he wore. He said it’s from someone special.”

There could be a lot of people with that description, but Wonshik’s mind quickly flew to Taekwoon. He got even more confused, and against any better judgement, he continued asking the little girl, “Do you remember his name?”

The girl nodded enthusiastically. “Daeguni!” she said cheerfully. Wonshik frowned at the name. That’s not exactly Taekwoon’s name… but he’s quite sure that it’s Taekwoon.

But before Wonshik could process any further, the little girl leaned close to cup her hands around Wonshik’s ear and talked softly, “Are you and Daeguni having a fight? When he was here, you were wearing the same sparkly bracelet. But today Daeguni isn’t here and you’re not wearing your bracelet.”

There were a whole lot of questions Wonshik had in his mind, but then he decided to put those aside and tried to answer the little girl as diplomatically as possible. “Well, uh… Daeguni is busy with his work, so he can’t come today. As for my bracelet, I keep it somewhere safe,” explained Wonshik. He certainly had no idea why she’s asking about a bracelet he definitely didn’t have, but he’s not planning to argue with a kid for the moment.

“Kim _Seonsaeng-nim_ , are you going to marry Daeguni?” asked the little girl again. At this point, Wonshik’s face was beet red as he stared confusedly at her.

“W-why are you asking that?” asked Wonshik, stuttering since he couldn’t hide just how flustered he was.

“Daeguni said his bracelet is from someone special, and you have it too. Then you also said that you can’t marry our Baek _Seonsaeng-nim_ because you promised to marry someone else. I’m smart enough to know that you gave Daeguni the bracelet and you also promised to marry him,” she explained innocently. She then added softly, “Boys can marry other boys. Jyani said that.”

The statement made Wonshik felt even more confused than before, and he was really thankful when the girl’s mother called her and she seemed to be completely forgotten about what she said the moment she joined her mother to decorate the cake.

Wonshik managed to stay calm until the end of workshop, although his head was filled with so many unanswered questions. He cleaned up and rearranged the seats back after the workshop, then quickly went over to Jaehwan.

“ _Hyung_ , I’ve just remembered that I need to make a delivery. Can you ask someone to cover my shift?” asked Wonshik. Jaehwan was looking at him with a judging look, knowing that Wonshik was keeping something up in his sleeve, but he dismissed Wonshik with a flick of his wrist anyway.

“Do what you want. I’ve already assumed that you would go home after the workshop anyway,” said Jaehwan.

Wonshik gave him a brief hug before going to the back room, changing to his T-shirt and jeans, then went back to the cafe to cheekily grabbed an assortment of muffins and quickly went before Jaehwan could lecture him about it.

He managed to reach Taekwoon’s apartment, but was met with the harsh truth that Taekwoon wasn’t home. He groaned as he sat down beside the door, regretting the fact that he never asked for Taekwoon’s number. He killed some time by scrolling through his SNS and read some news, until he heard footsteps coming closer.

The look on Taekwoon’s face when he saw Wonshik sitting down by his door was of a pure surprise. Wonshik quickly got onto his feet, grabbing the paper bag and smiled widely at Taekwoon.

“Hello, Taekwoon- _ssi_. It’s been awhile,” greeted Wonshik.

Taekwoon returned the smile awkwardly. He was thinking about what to say, but he finally settled on “Do you want to come in?”

Wonshik was a fool to reject that offer, so he nodded, waiting for Taekwoon to open the door and let him in. He left his jacket and shoes at the entrance and followed Taekwoon to the living room.

“I brought some muffins,” informed Wonshik as he placed the paper bag on the table.

“Ah, thank you. Do you want coffee, tea, or chocolate?” asked Taekwoon as he padded to the kitchen area.

“Coffee, please,” said Wonshik. Taekwoon nodded, turning on his coffee machine and poured two cups for them.

When Taekwoon put down the cup at the table, Wonshik could see the bracelet and he felt a lump sitting on his throat. He willed the discomfort away as he mustered up the courage to ask Taekwoon about things he had been questioning since he left the cafe.

“Taekwoon- _ssi_ … Before our meeting in the hospital, have we met somewhere before?” asked Wonshik straightforwardly. Taekwoon visibly flinched at the question, but he quickly shook his head.

“No. I think not,” he said briefly.

“There was a little girl in my cafe’s workshop earlier. She asked why you didn’t come. She said she saw you before, at the cafe,” said Wonshik, ploughing forward. Taekwoon licked his lips and shook his head again.

“Maybe she remembered it wrongly. A child often did it,” denied Taekwoon.

“What about the bracelet?” asked Wonshik again, still not giving up. “I used to have it, didn’t I?”

Taekwoon looked down to his lap, fingers tracing the edge of his bracelet nervously. But before he could deny anything, Wonshik cupped Taekwoon’s hands firmly, making Taekwoon looked directly into his eyes. He seemed to be lost, afraid and nervous.

“Taekwoon- _ssi_ … Your ex-lover… Was it me?” asked Wonshik again.

Taekwoon used all his strength to push Wonshik away, shaking his head furiously. “No. No, you’re wrong. It’s a misunderstanding,” murmured Taekwoon.

“If I’m wrong, then tell me what’s the truth,” demanded Wonshik. “My head might forget, but my heart knows that there was _something_ between us. So please, tell me. Help me to remember.”

“The fact that you don’t even remember about me is enough proof that you don’t hold me that dearly,” said Taekwoon bitterly. He looked like he’s in verge of crying, and it made Wonshik felt like a villain.

“I don’t want to talk anymore. Please leave,” said Taekwoon quietly as he threw his sight to the floor. Wonshik was still unsure, but Taekwoon quickly raised his voice, “ _LEAVE!!_ ”

Wonshik quickly got to his feet, crossing the room to grab his jacket and shoes, then walked away. He only managed to go a few steps away before he crouched down, crying silently. He didn’t know why it hurt so much, but it just did. It made him want to just curl up and disappear, gone with all the pain he felt.

Suddenly, Taekwoon’s apartment door was open. The owner emerged with guilt and panic written all over his face, eyes glossy with tears. He seemed to be ready to run when he spotted Wonshik crouching down. Wonshik looked up, and his view was quickly filled with Taekwoon’s chest. He could feel the trembling arms wrapping him, holding him close.

Both didn’t say anything, just silently cried until they stopped and started to breathe evenly again. They felt stiff from the position, but the warmth from each other made them reluctant to move.

Eventually, it was Taekwoon who pulled away first, wiping the traces of tears from his face with his sleeve. He then offered a hand to Wonshik, which he took slowly. They took time taking deep breaths, and once again Taekwoon was the one who made the first move.

“I’m sorry for sending you away. Please come in. I… I want to talk after all…” he said softly. Wonshik nodded in agreement, following back Taekwoon into the apartment.

The coffee had gone cold, but none of them were bothered about it. And despite Taekwoon saying that he wanted to talk, he was silent. He did sit next to Wonshik, though, although he still left some space between them.

After some long minutes, Wonshik decided to close their distance, wrapping an arm on Taekwoon’s waist and pulled Taekwoon’s head to rest on his shoulder. Taekwoon hummed contently, indulging in the other’s warmth.

“We didn’t exactly break up,” Taekwoon spoke, quietly as if he didn’t want anyone but Wonshik to know. Wonshik stayed silent, only patting Taekwoon’s waist gently to encourage him to talk.

“I just… I keep on thinking that you dating me will only tamper with your future. You have the chance and the right to marry a nice woman and have cute children with her, building a perfect family. But with me… I’m a man. I can’t possibly give you the happiness of being a father. So I pushed you away, quite literally. I didn’t mean for you to get hurt,” explained Taekwoon. This time, it’s Wonshik who gave out a long sigh, resting his head on Taekwoon’s.

“Sounds like I’ve been a dick to you,” commented Wonshik. Taekwoon shook his head slowly.

“You’ve done so much for me,” said Taekwoon.

“But I still make you feel insecure. I mean, if it’s just a child or two, we can always adopt, right? Did I forget to tell you that, the way I foolishly forgot everything about you?” asked Wonshik. Hearing that, Taekwoon scoffed, then laughed as he dropped to Wonshik’s lap.

“Yeah, you’re a dick after all,” said Taekwoon as he looked up to Wonshik.

“So how do you want me to apologize?” asked Wonshik.

Taekwoon hummed in contemplation, before he sat up again and leaned close to Wonshik. Wonshik didn’t waste any time, hooking his hand behind Taekwoon’s neck and captured the soft lips with his own. Although he still couldn’t exactly remember, he just recognized the sensation, the fire that was burning in his chest.

His head was still a whole jumbled mess, but his heart and his body knew whom he belonged to.

* * *

 The recovery took time, but eventually Wonshik managed to remember the things he had forgotten and sorted everything out. He tackled Jaehwan for hiding everything from him, but thanked him afterwards for his hard work. Jaehwan also had his share screaming at both Taekwoon and Wonshik about how stupid they were, and just how ridiculously amazing that Wonshik managed to fall for Taekwoon again even when he didn’t remember him.

Wonshik went back to his old routine, bringing cakes and latte for Taekwoon to enjoy after work. Taekwoon also returned Wonshik’s diamond bracelet, as well as sending the pictures he deleted from Wonshik’s phone.

“I can’t believe that this all happened because I said I want to have a child or two and I forgot to specify that the adopted ones are fine with me,” commented Wonshik one evening, when he and Taekwoon were chilling on Taekwoon’s couch after having a dinner.

“It’s partially my fault too, making assumptions without directly asking about it to you,” admitted Taekwoon. Wonshik snorted, lacing their hands as he made an offer.

“So, do you want to raise a child with me?” asked Wonshik half-teasingly.

“Don’t we need to get married first before talking about having a child?” quipped Taekwoon. Wonshik chuckled and untangled his fingers so that he could reach inside his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.

“Jung Taekwoon,” said Wonshik as he slid down to the floor, getting on his knee and opened the box to reveal a pair of rings, “Would you marry me?”

Taekwoon’s answer was a lot of tears and a firm “ _Yes_ ”.

**Author's Note:**

> Sometimes, I'm curious about how many of you noticing some easter eggs I put in my fics


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